green and growing things
I know I'm not the only one who has (more than) a bit of cabin fever right now. I was impatient for spring back in January and now that it's March...
I have many ways of coping and one of them is filling up my house with plants. Yes, it's always filled with lots of green and growing things, but I've been adding a few more lately. Of the edible variety.
For some reason I'm always forgetting about things like this, but thanks to Karen, I got started with some pea shoots. I just wish I had started sooner. They are super easy to grow and so fast. I used whole dried peas intended for cooking (found mine in the Mexican food aisle) and had close to 100% germination rate. Soak them for 24 hours and then plop them in some soil and watch them take off. (There's a good how-to here).
I've also been growing sprouts lately, too. They're thanks to my Mom who bought me a sprouting jar lid a couple weeks ago.
Really easy to use, I think I prefer this method to the sprouting tray I used to use. I like eating them in a pita with humus, tomatoes, Kalamata olives...
Next year I'll make sure to get started with all of this a bit earlier in the winter.
Recently I came across an article about microbes in the soil that have an antidepressant effect. I think that explains a lot. SAD, not being able to get my hands in the dirt... no wonder I can't wait till spring arrives and I can get back outside in the garden.
Of course, in addition to the green growing things on my windowsills, I've been painting my own bits of spring, too.
I think I may need to plant up a real terrarium soon.
I munched the green bits after I finished this quick little painting which made me think of summertime when I would often eat the subjects of my paintings. Mmmm, tomatoes.
What about you? Do you have cabin fever? What's your favorite coping mechanism?
Oh, and one more thing... I've been scouring the internet hoping to catch a glimpse of my painting on display at the Philadelphia Flower Show and found a few photos of the Hudson Valley Seed Library exhibit on the Habitat for Artists site. Can you spot my painting in them?
Enjoy your weekend!
I have many ways of coping and one of them is filling up my house with plants. Yes, it's always filled with lots of green and growing things, but I've been adding a few more lately. Of the edible variety.
For some reason I'm always forgetting about things like this, but thanks to Karen, I got started with some pea shoots. I just wish I had started sooner. They are super easy to grow and so fast. I used whole dried peas intended for cooking (found mine in the Mexican food aisle) and had close to 100% germination rate. Soak them for 24 hours and then plop them in some soil and watch them take off. (There's a good how-to here).
I've also been growing sprouts lately, too. They're thanks to my Mom who bought me a sprouting jar lid a couple weeks ago.
Really easy to use, I think I prefer this method to the sprouting tray I used to use. I like eating them in a pita with humus, tomatoes, Kalamata olives...
Next year I'll make sure to get started with all of this a bit earlier in the winter.
Recently I came across an article about microbes in the soil that have an antidepressant effect. I think that explains a lot. SAD, not being able to get my hands in the dirt... no wonder I can't wait till spring arrives and I can get back outside in the garden.
Of course, in addition to the green growing things on my windowsills, I've been painting my own bits of spring, too.
I think I may need to plant up a real terrarium soon.
I munched the green bits after I finished this quick little painting which made me think of summertime when I would often eat the subjects of my paintings. Mmmm, tomatoes.
What about you? Do you have cabin fever? What's your favorite coping mechanism?
Oh, and one more thing... I've been scouring the internet hoping to catch a glimpse of my painting on display at the Philadelphia Flower Show and found a few photos of the Hudson Valley Seed Library exhibit on the Habitat for Artists site. Can you spot my painting in them?
Enjoy your weekend!
Like you, Anne, our house is full of plants (even tho we are squeezed into a small space pre-reno). Our windowsills have hosted paper whites and daffodils, forced in pots way before their natural bloom time. We've had pea sprout growing and my beloved Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus are going strong, along with oxalis blooms. There are three Meyer lemons ripening in the sunshine, and the rosemary I dug up from the fall garden surprised me with purple blossoms the other day! A hand-me-down African violet is hanging tough in this crazy-cold Vermont winter.
ReplyDeleteI thank these green and growing beauties every day. The contrast they provide to the stark, white and snowy landscape outside is much appreciated!
Even tho we are still in the grip of subzero temperatures, the sun is high and bright and warm. There has also been a subtle shift in the colors across the valley...the trees are blushing...with hope?
Can't imagine living without plants jammed around every window!
DeleteI'm jealous of your African violet. None of mine are blooming. I just don't have much luck with them. I guess I can't complain because other things are happy.
I've noticed the buds on the trees here. I think they're thinking about getting ready. Our snow is melting and spring is in the air. Such a good feeling that is!
Lovely green shoots! Its so nice to see something growing and thriving in winter, isn't it? Speaking of stretching and growing - your beautiful artwork seems to be taking off in many lovely directions! I love that you are including pretty containers and insects in some and making patterns with flowers in others. Your work reminds me of Susan Branch's pretty watercolors :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Sharon!
DeleteBeautiful post, paintings (so precise and delicate), beautiful sprouts and plants. Thank you for sharing, Anne!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Aga!
DeleteWe have a house full of plants too. Our African Violet helps keep me feeling Spring and Summer. :-)) And I have a Christmas Cactus. I love when that blooms.
ReplyDeleteI do love your paintings. The Zinnia makes me smile. :-))
Carla
:) Thank you, Carla.
DeleteSo glad you're African violet is blooming. And Christmas cactus. My violets aren't blooming (I'm not good with them) and my last Christmas cactus got decimated by a squirrel during its summer vacation outside. But it's good to have other plants blooming.
Cabin fever, SAD, hormonal upheaval, yup all of it. I'm so thankful that today is sunny, temps in he 40's (all week fingers crossed) and I have my Christmas cactus blooming as well as my oxalis, amaryllis, African violets and kalanchoe. I'm thinking I need to do more though and paint something in my home a bright color or buy a bright yarn. Not sure.
ReplyDeleteYour terrarium painting is so pretty. I meant to do that with the kids. Maybe soon we will. And growing sprouts sounds interesting.
So glad you're plants are blooming. I like seeing your paintings of them!
DeleteYou should build a terrarium with your kids. That would be fun. And sprouts, too. They are yummy.
P.S. I looked in the photos but I couldn't find your painting. Where is it?
ReplyDeleteThe third photo down on the right hand side: http://www.habitatforartists.org/now/hfa-at-the-philly-flower-show-again-redux/
DeleteCounting from the right in that photo, the 4th one across and 2nd one down. I know, it's really hard to see. I wish I could have found some better photos! I'm a bit surprised that the seed library didn't take more.